Self-Portraiture and Identity

Active learning helps students connect technical drawing skills to personal meaning, which is essential for portraiture and identity. Hands-on activities let students test proportions on their own faces and explore symbols in a way that feels authentic and engaging.

• 3rd Year
• Creative Explorations: The Artist\
• 3 activities
• 20 min–30 min

Learning Objectives

1. Analyze how specific facial features and their arrangement contribute to the overall expression in a self-portrait.
2. Compare and contrast the artistic intent behind a self-portrait versus a photographic portrait.
3. Explain how the choice of colors and symbolic elements in a self-portrait communicates aspects of personal identity.
4. Create a self-portrait that visually represents a chosen aspect of personal identity using learned drawing techniques.

Role Play

⏱ 30 min·Pairs

Role Play: The Artist and the Muse

Students work in pairs, taking turns to be the 'model' and the 'artist'. The model chooses an emotion to portray through facial expression and posture, while the artist tries to capture that specific mood in a quick sketch.

Prepare & details

Analyze how facial expressions can convey a specific emotion in a portrait.

Facilitation Tip: During the Role Play activity, model the conversation between artist and muse with a confident student so the class sees how to focus on expression over perfection.

Setup: Open space or rearranged desks for scenario staging

Materials: Character cards with backstory and goals, Scenario briefing sheet

• Apply
• Analyze
• Evaluate
• Social Awareness
• Self-Awareness

Think-Pair-Share

⏱ 20 min·Pairs

Think-Pair-Share: Symbolic Self

Students list three objects or colors that represent their personality. They share these with a partner to explain the meaning behind them, then brainstorm how to incorporate these elements into a portrait background.

Prepare & details

Explain what the colors and symbols in a portrait communicate about the person.

Facilitation Tip: Before the Think-Pair-Share activity, provide students with a list of symbols and colors to spark ideas before they begin reflecting.

Setup: Standard classroom seating; students turn to a neighbor

Materials: Discussion prompt (projected or printed), Optional: recording sheet for pairs

• Understand
• Apply
• Analyze
• Self-Awareness
• Relationship Skills

Gallery Walk

⏱ 25 min·Whole Class

Gallery Walk: Identity Uncovered

Students display their finished portraits without names. The class moves around the room, trying to match the portrait to the student based on the symbols and personality traits depicted in the artwork.

Prepare & details

Differentiate between a self-portrait and a photograph in terms of artistic intent.

Facilitation Tip: For the Gallery Walk, assign small groups to analyze one specific portrait first so they have a shared language before discussing all pieces.

Setup: Wall space or tables arranged around room perimeter

Materials: Large paper/poster boards, Markers, Sticky notes for feedback

• Understand
• Apply
• Analyze
• Create
• Relationship Skills
• Social Awareness

Teaching This Topic

Teach facial proportions by having students measure their own faces with rulers, not just look at diagrams. Avoid over-emphasizing realism; instead, highlight how artists use distortion or exaggeration to express emotion. Research shows that students who connect their work to personal stories retain skills longer.

What to Expect

Students will show progress in both technical accuracy and personal expression by creating portraits that reflect their identity. They should be able to explain how specific choices of color, background, or feature placement communicate who they are.

Watch Out for These Misconceptions

Common Misconception

During the Role Play activity, watch for students who place the eyes at the very top of their head. Remind them to use their hands to measure from the hairline to the chin, then divide the space into thirds to find the eye line.

What to Teach Instead

During the Role Play activity, watch for students who place the eyes at the very top of their head. Have them use a ruler to measure from their own hairline to chin, then mark where the eyes should be—roughly one-third down from the top.

Common Misconception

During the Think-Pair-Share activity, watch for students who believe a portrait must look exactly like a photograph. Display Louis le Brocquy’s expressive portraits and ask students to describe the emotion first, then discuss how the features are simplified.

What to Teach Instead

During the Think-Pair-Share activity, watch for students who believe a portrait must look exactly like a photograph. Show them three portraits by Louis le Brocquy and ask, 'What feeling does this capture?' before comparing the features to a photo.

Assessment Ideas

Quick Check

After the Gallery Walk, present students with three self-portraits (Rembrandt, Frida Kahlo, a contemporary artist). Ask them to identify one element in each and write one sentence explaining what it communicates about the artist's identity or emotion.

Peer Assessment

During the Role Play activity, have students exchange preliminary sketches and use a checklist to assess proportions. Partners provide one specific suggestion for improvement, such as 'eyes are too high' or 'mouth is too wide'.

Discussion Prompt

After the Gallery Walk, facilitate a class discussion with the prompt: 'How does the way an artist draws their eyes or mouth change the emotion we feel when looking at their self-portrait?' Students must give an example from their own work or an artist we studied.

Extensions & Scaffolding

• Challenge students to create a second self-portrait using only symbols and colors to represent their identity, removing facial features entirely.
• Scaffolding: Provide a template with labeled facial sections for students who struggle with proportions, but encourage them to personalize it with symbols.
• Deeper exploration: Ask students to research an artist with a strong identity focus, then write a short reflection on how that artist’s work influenced their own choices.

Key Vocabulary

Proportion	The relative size of facial features to each other and to the overall head shape, crucial for realistic representation.
Expression	The way facial muscles are arranged to convey a particular emotion or mood, achieved through the depiction of eyes, mouth, and brows.
Symbolism	The use of objects, colors, or patterns within the artwork to represent abstract ideas or personal meanings related to identity.
Artistic Intent	The artist's purpose or message in creating the artwork, which in a self-portrait often goes beyond mere likeness to explore inner self.